Operating element arrangement for controlling motor vehicle longitudinal and transverse movements

Abstract

An operating element arrangement and method controls the longitudinal and transverse movements of a motor vehicle by using a manually actuatable regulating element which is stationary in the vehicle longitudinal direction and controls the longitudinal movement of the vehicle as a function of the actuating force exerted on the regulating element in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The regulating element also serves to control the vehicle transverse movement of the vehicle. For this purpose, the regulating element is arranged movably in the vehicle transverse direction of the vehicle. The transverse movement of the vehicle is controlled as a function of the transverse deflection of the regulating element or as a function of the actuating force exerted in the transverse direction of the vehicle.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. Motor vehicle having an operating element arrangement for controlling longitudinal and transverse movements of the motor vehicle, comprising a manually actuatable regulating element arranged to be stationary or non-movably mounted in a longitudinal vehicle direction to control the longitudinal movement of the motor vehicle as a function of force exerted on the regulating element in the longitudinal vehicle direction, and arranged movably in a transverse vehicle direction to control the transverse movement of the vehicle as a function of one of transverse deflection of the regulating element and as a function of the actuating force exerted in the transverse vehicle direction. 
     
     
       2. The motor vehicle according to claim  1 , wherein the regulating element is configured to have a reaction force automatically exerted thereon as a function of an actual state of the transverse movement of the vehicle. 
     
     
       3. The motor vehicle according to claim  1 , wherein the manually actuatable regulating element is configured such that the actuating forces for control of movement in the vehicle longitudinal direction are decoupled from the control of movement in the transverse vehicle direction. 
     
     
       4. A method for controlling longitudinal and transverse movements of a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of 
       controlling longitudinal movement of the motor vehicle as a function of force exerted on a regulating element arranged to be stationary in a longitudinal vehicle direction, and  
       controlling transverse movement of the vehicle by movement of the regulating element in a transverse vehicle direction as a function of the transverse deflection of the regulating element or as a function of the activating force exerted in the vehicle transverse direction.